Bob Bass is the one general manager ever to trade former NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
He did so much more than that in a pro basketball career that spanned five decades. He was the most impactful GM in Charlotte NBA history. Bass died Friday in San Antonio at the age of 89. He suffered two strokes recently.
Bass began as Hornets GM in 1995, working for owner George Shinn, and retired in 2004 after guiding the franchise through the move to New Orleans. Yes, he traded two future Hall of Famers in Bryant and Alonzo Mourning. He also got the Hornets to the playoffs in seven of his nine seasons, oversaw the only two seasons of 50 or more victories in franchise history, and won the NBA Executive of the Year in 1997 after the Hornets won 54 games.